Casing applier



July 29, 1952 M. J. G. TIPPER CASING APPLER 2 SHEETS-ShEET l Filed Oct. 24, 1949 lllll.

Maynard .I G'. Tzlpper miv-MAZ;

ATTORN EYS July 29, 1952 M. J. G. UPPER 2,604,657'

CASING APPLIER Filed Oct. 24, 1949 2 SHEETS-SET 2 Jo 10a 10o. 276 30a 14a I 30 /14 i I8 27a,

27 2 24d. E l Z4 I9 25 E l 'E/j" Y J2 zz 23 g 26 2 23%?// E E 12a. 20 28 s xi Magnan-dl 6'. TLppeJ 31 ATTORNEYS Patented July 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcEl cAsING APPLIER v Maynard-L G..Tipper, Sacramento, Calif.

Application October 24, 1949,.4 Serial No. 123,288

2 Claims.

This invention relatesto a sausage-casing aprelationship, but also completely encloses the mechanism makingv the applier extremely sanitary aswell as safe to use.

Another object of the4 invention is to provide a casing applier which is a portable, self-con.- tained unit, readily set up for use or demount'ed without any tools beingnecessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide spring suspension units forl the applier arranged soy that' while the casing engagingY Wheels are normally clear .of andl above the extruding horn, arelativelyslight downward pressure by the' operator isl all that is needed` to lower the wheels into operative engagement with the horn.

Also included as a novel feature ofV each spring suspension unit is a safety device arranged to prevent falling of thev applier in the event of spring failure.

A further object ofv the invention is to produce a practical device and one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purpose. for which it is designed.

These, objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative amiangementof parts as will fully appear by a, perusal of the following specification and" claims.

In the drawings:

Figurerl, is a side elevation. of the improved casingapplier asin use.

Fig; 2 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper portion of the applier, looking at right angles to Fig. 1, and on a reduced scale.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the spring suspension units, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and detached.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevation, mainly in section of the main lower portion of the device and taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the casing applier comprises essentially a vertical axis electric motor I, having a flexible extension cable 2 by which to make connection with a source of current. The motor is secured to the base plate 3 of a depending frusto-conical bell 4 from which a relatively long rigid tubular member 5, concentric with the motor axis, depends. Plate 3: is suspended from opposite sidesby Aa pair'of spring suspension units 6A and; Bwhich willbe-de'scribed in detail later. Units 6 and 6c diverge upwardly to a ceiling beam 1 or the like and from-which they are removablysupported by suitable means such as snap hooks B and 8av on the* units Gf and En engagingA eyes il 'and 9a mounted -in and depending from the beam. Y

Member 5 is provided' at its lower end With-a base ringl secured by machine screws' i011'A on aV gear housing II which supports, onballv bearings I2 and IZa mounted in the sidewalls ofthe housing; theV horizontal shaft I3v of the-:opposed duall rotary and identical casing engaging wheels I4 and I4a. The shaft I 5 of motor I is alined with another shaft I6 depending vthroughvmemfber 5 into liousing I I, shafts I5 and I6 being connected by a hose-like coupling I1 within bell 4, so that extreme rigidity atu the point ofconnection ls avoided. l

Within housing I'I,v shafti I6 is centered bya ball bearing I8,y and below'the bearing' carries a, bevel pinion I9 engaging a. bevelv gearfZU fixed on shaft I3 inwardly of but in contactwith, the inner race-ring 2| of the adjacent bearing I2j. Wheel |45` comprises an inner backing plate 22 having a hub 24. slid'able on the shaftY I3 and en:- gaging ring 2| as a back stop. The outer backing plate 2,3 has a hub 25 screwed onto the outer end,I threaded portion 26; of the shaft; I3; Between plates 22l and' 2'4, and fitting on, hubl 2 5;

are the casing-engagmg, discs 21 ancigzja'; ofY

curl: or similar relatively soit friction. material, anda spacer disc 28,v of rubber; or other resilient compressible material',A between discsA 2 1' andy 211i,l TheV adjacent facesof. discs 21' are sharply beveled at their periphery as shown at 29; the diarn` eter of spacer disc 28 being less than that of the base of bevels 29. The disc 28 being of resilient material, a clamping action on the discs 21 and 21a as well as on the shaft threads, is obtained.

The bevels 29 provide a V-shaped groove 30, enabling any casing 3 I, regardless of its diameter, to be engaged in frictional feeding relation; that is on the upper portion of the casing in opposite sides of its central vertical plane.

Only hand pressure is required on outer plate 24 when mounting or demounting discs 21 and 21a; the other wheel Ilia, if in place, being then hand-held to prevent rotation of the shaft I3. Wheel Illa, which as stated is identical to wheel I4, similarly includes inner and outer backing plates 22a and 24a, plate 22a having a hub 23a on A handle 33 is fixed rigid with and projects back from casing II and the spring balance is such that the operator need only press down lightly on the handle to lower either .wheel I4 or Ila into engagement with casing 3I. For ease of control of the operation of wheels I4 and Ida, a push-button switch 34 is mounted on the back side of the member 5.a short distance above handle 33;v this switch being, of course, interposed inthe circuit 'ofY motor I. The lateral divergence of suspension units 6 and 6a centralizes'theapplier relative to the horn 32 while allowing of lateral deflection of the applier by operator pressure when the device is being used. As a safety feature in the event of spring breakageY in either suspension unit 6 or 6a, and to avoid bouncing when the hold-down pressure handlej 33 is released, each suspension unit is constructed as follows: The suspension tension spring 35 is rigidly connected at its ends, as by welding W, to horizontal axis rings 36 andl 3V5a, the upper one of which is connected to a snap-hook 8, while the lowery one is suitably connected to plate 3.

Ametal tube 31 is secured to upper ring 36 and depends inside spring 35Y some distance; while a rod -38is rigid with lower-ring 36a and extends into-tube 31 some distance. On its upper end, rod 38 carries a head 39 while the lower end of tube 31 is provided with an inwardly projecting flange 40. .forming a stop 4shoulder engageable with the head to halt separation of rings 36 and 36aafter movement thereof a short distance greater than that necessaryto bring wheels I4 or Illa into engagement with the casing 3I.. vIn the` event `of springA breakage, therefore, the motor cannot drop very far, and possible harm to the operator and damage to the equipment is avoided.- n In order to snub the rebound contraction of the spring, a collar 4I is mounted on rod 38 below stop flange 40.

i As will be evident from the foregoing description, all Working parts except the suspension units (which are well above the operating zone) are completely enclosed, making the device very safe.4 to use. Also, since `the exterior metal partsthe tube 5, gear housing Il, and metal backing plates 22 and 2li-are polished and of non-corrosive nature, the device is extremely easy to clean and maintain in a proper sanitary condition.

The length of tube 5 is sufficient to place the motor I, and of course the spring suspension units 6 and 6a, well out of the way above the operators head.

The casing applier, as a whole, is sufficiently light to be readily portable, connection or disconnection of the two snap hooks 8 and 8a, and plugging in or out of extension cable 2, being all that is required to mount or demount the applier.

AFrom the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to asY do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined-by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:`

1. In a casing applier, a horizontal driven shaft, a ring on the shaft intermediate its ends forming a stop, an inner backing plate having. a hub slidable on the shaft and abutting the ring., a pair of opposed casing-engagingl friction discs on the shaft outwardly of said plate, a spacer Adisc between said pair of discs and an outer backing plate having a hub threaded on the outer end portion of the shaft; the discs having central openings through which the last named hub projects in close tting relation.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which the spacer disc is of resilient compressible material whereby to hold the threads of the shaft and hub in clamped engagement when the spacer disc is put under compression by the advance of the outer plate against the adjacent friction disc.

MAYNARD J. G. TIPPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

